Apparatus for handling strands



Feb. 1, 1938. F. v. JOHNSON ET AL I APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRANDS 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 20, 1936 l N lfb.

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F. V. JOHNSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRANDS Filed Oct. 20, 1938 I2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /lf/VENTOI'M` F. V. JOHNSON RJ?. NYDEGGER "m SW1-LA,...

A TTRNEY iiitiiTD STATES cargar orrics APPARATUS Foa HANDLING s'rnANnsFred V. Johnson, Baltimore, Md., and Roland R.

Nydegger, Wilmington, Del., assignors to Western Electric Company,Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork ApplicationOctober 20, 1936, Serial No. 106,528

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for handling strandsand more particularly to a method of and apparatus for combining strandsto form an electric cable.

In the manufacture of multi-conductor electric cables such as are usedin the communications arts, it has been customary in some instances tomount supply reels containing strands to be twisted together, within arotatable frame or cage. The strands are -drawn from the supply reels,brought together and guided out of the cage along the axis of rotationof the cage and intertwisted by the rotation of the cage. In so doing anindividual twist is imposed on each strand having one turn for eachrotation of the cage; and if the strand in question happens to be of anature to resist the imposition of twist, it will absorb the twist byassuming a helical form until the stress of the accumulated twistovercomes the resistance and the strand yields, receiving in a shortlength all the twist which should be distributed evenly over a muchgreater length. This effect may be troublesome overcome particularly inthe case of a cable having coaxial conductor units as component parts.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of andapparatus for combining strands by which strands having a relativelyhigh degree of. torsional rigidity may be combined, alone or with otherstrands of other kinds, in such fashion that deformation imposed onindividual strands will be distributed evenly along the strands eventhough they be of relatively high torsional rigidity.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates a method of and anapparatus for intertwisting strands in which one or more oi the strandsin question are prevented from any substantial lateral deformation ormovement out of a predetermined path immediately and for some distancebefore they approach the point at which they are twisted together.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing detailed description of one embodiment thereof taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which the same referencenumerals are appended to identical parts in the several gures and inwhich Fig. l is a view in vertical axial section of an apparatus forintertwisting strands, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken view in side elevation of a portion of cable producedby the apparatus of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached view in side elevation of the strandguide of Fig. 1 with its supports;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached view in perspective of the forwardassembly collar thereof;

Fig, 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line l-l of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown, Fig. 1 disclosesdiagrammatically, -the supply end of a cable stranding machine of simpleand well known form. The take-up and possible intermediate portions arenot shown, being irrelevant to the invention, but may be of any suitableand well known construction and mode of operation.

'I'he portion disclosed comprises fundamentally a. rotatable cagejournalled in supports 2|, 22 and driven by a sprocket chain 23 from ashaft 24 driven in turn by a motor not shown. Within the cage 20 ismounted a plurality of spools or reels to supply the component strandsof the cable to be manufactured. In the example disclosed, these consistof two reels 25 and 26 containing supplies of coaxial conductor unts 30and 3| respectively, two reels to supply two four conductor auxiliarystrands 32 and 33 of which only one reel 21 is shown in Fig. l, and fourreels to supply four relatively soft nonmetallic iiller strands 34, 35,36 and 3l of which only two reels 28 and 29 are shown. x

A right hand bearing member 38 of the cage has an axial passageway inwhich is positioned a strand guide generally indicated by the numeral39. The body of this guide consists of two tubes 40 and 4| of internaldiameter triiiing- 1y greater than the external diameter of theidentically similar coaxial units 30 and 3| which pass freely throughthe tubes but are constrained therein against any lateral distortion.The tubes preferably have bell mouthed entrance members 42 and 43secured thereon. The tubes are rigidly mounted in a mounting plate 44secured to the cage 20 so that the tubes rotate with the cage. 'Iheplate 44 is further provided with appropriate apertures about the tubesto permit the other strands 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 3l to pass in adirection generally parallel to the tubes and their contained strands 30and 3|.

Near the outer or right hand end of the tubes 40 and'4l these arerigidly mounted in a journal member 45 supported in a crossbar 4G. Themember 45 rotates with the tubes 40 and 4| within the crossbar 46, andis provided with two apertures in which the tubes 40 and 4| are mountedand with six other apertures to pass the remaining strands of the cableto be.

On the extreme outer ends of the tubes is mounted a twisting head 4lhaving a plurality of passages therethrough, corresponding in number andsize to the component strands of the cable to be. Each passage leadsfrom the corresponding aperture of the `journal member at the left orentrance end of the head 4l to blend into a single axial opening at theright or exit end oi the head, where the component strands are appliedto each other and are twisted together by the rotation of the'cage.

The crossbar 46 is secured on the outer end of a journal member 48rotatably mounted in a bracket 49 secured on the support 22. This member48 is coaxial with the member 33 and has an axial passage to house theguide 38. A serving head 50 for applying a wrapping of paper tapes 5|and 52 over the intertwisted strands is mounted on the member 48 whichis driven in rotation in the opposite direction to that of the cage 20by a sprocket chain 53 from the shaft 24.

The coaxial unit 30 shown consists of an inner axial conductor 55 and anouter hollow conductor 56 spaced apart bya plurality of insulating disks5l. The unit 3| shown is of similar structure.

In operation the finished product 58 of the apparatus shown is drawnalong to the right (Fig. l) by any appropriate means not shown, whilethe shaft 24 is rotated. The cage 20 then rotates say counterclockwiseas seen from the right and the serving unit 50 rotates in the oppositedirection. The eight strands 30, 3|, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 31 are drawnfrom their respective supply reels, the two coaxial units 30 and 3|passing through tne guide tubes 40 and 4| respectively and the other sixstrands passing through the corresponding apertures in the members 44,45 and 41. In passing through the twisting head 4l the eight strands arecombined in the relation shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and on emerging from thehead 4l are twisted'together and immediately wrapped with the tapes 5|and 52.

Each revolution of the cage 2|) eiects one turn of the lay of the cable,i. e. of the intertwist of K the cable components, but each revolutionof the cage also tends to impose one turn of individual twist upon eachstrand by itself. The textile strands 34, 35, 36 and 3l naturally acceptthis twist without resistance and the four conductor cables 32'and 33are ordinarily of such nature as to do so also. But a coaxial conductorstrand, such as 30 or 3|, is ordinarily far more rigid in torsion thanthe others and therefore tends to resist the imposition of this twistand to escape it partially by taking on a helical form. This helix thentends to be pushed back after being formed and to pile up at the guidesheave or even back at the supply reel. This piling up continues until,in the worst forms, the strand yeids abruptly, kinks and jams, or, inmilder cases, a short length of the strand is sharply twisted andabsorbs allthe twist that should properly be distributed evenly over avastly greater length. In the latter case the sharp twisting may verywell rupture one or both conductors of the strand.

In the present invention, however, it is found that, if the helixdistortion is never permitted to begin but the strand is forced to runstraight for a considerable distance up to the twisting point, thestrand will accept the imposed twist evenly and will enter into and liein the cable evenly and with uniform properties along its length.

As herein disclosed, the invention is applied to the manufacture of acable consisting of two coaxial conductor units, two four conductorescasos ordinary units, and four textile ller strands with a wrapping oftwo paper tapes. Obviously, however, the number of each kind'of strandlis immaterial to 'the invention which is applicable and useful wherevera strand oi.' high torsional rigidity is to be intertwisted with one ormore other strands.

The embodiment herein disclosed is merely illustrative and may be modiedand departed from in many ways without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as pointed out in and limited solely by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for combining strands which comprises a rotatable frame,a plurality of strand supplies in the frame, and a strand delivery guidemounted axially of `the frame to receive the strands and deliver themfrom the frame, the said guide comprising an elongated hollow member toreceive and pass one o! the strands and having a passage thereforsuiilciently narrow to prevent lateral deformation of the strandtherein.

2. An apparatus for combining strands which comprises a rotatable frame,a plurality of' strand upplies in the frame, and a strand delivery guidemounted axially of the frame to receive the strands and deliver themfrom the frame, the said guide comprising a plurality oi.' elongatedhollow members each to receive and pass one of the strands and having apassage therefor suiiiciently narrow to prevent lateral defamation ofthe strand therein.

3. In a strand handling apparatus, guiding:

means for a longitudinally advancing stran:.`. 2.1.5.

which comprises an elongated member formen' with a passage therethroughdimensioned to permit the strand to pass freely through the passage butto be prevented from lateral deformation while in the passage.

4. In a strand handling apparatus, guiding means for a longitudinallyadvancing strand which comprises an elongated member formed with acylindrical passage therethrough dimen sioned to permit the strand topass freely through the passage but to be prevented from lateraldeformation while in the passage.

5. In a strand handling apparatus, guiding means for a plurality oflongitudinally advancing strands which comprises a pluralityof elongatedmembers each formed with a passage therethrough dimensioned to permitone of the strands to pass freely through the passage but to beprevented from lateral deformation while in the passage.

6. In a strand handling apparatus, guiding means for a plurality oflongitudinally advancing strands which comprises a plurality ofelongated members each formed with a cylindrical passage therethroughdimensioned to permit one of the strands tovpass freely through thepassage but to be prevented from lateral deformation while in thepassage.

'7. In a strand handling apparatus, guiding means for a plurality oflongitudinally advancing strands which comprises a plurality ofelongated members each formed with a cylindrical passage therethroughdimensioned to permit one of the strands to pass freely through thepassage but to be prevented from lateral deformation while in thepassage, the several passages being mutually parallel.

